Lilywhite

This sounds like an interesting read. I do like it when a good book tackles a difficult subject.

Don't get me wrong Ben, Room is a good read. It's just not the amazing book that a lot of people have gone on about. I blame Richard & Judy for that! They like to create hype about books on their book club list so that the sales go up. (unfortunately for them, I got it in a charity shop for 69p, so I don't feel so hard done by) I would still give it a go, but maybe at a time when you don't want something so taxing. It's such a light and easy read that you don't really need to put too much thought into it, you just go with the flow.

The Killing Place Tess Gerritsen HE WATCHES Something terrible has happened in the snowbound village of Kingdom Come, Wyoming. Twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. The people who lived in them appear to have vanished, seemingly into thin air. HE WAITS Maura Isles is driving through the area with a group of friends when they find themselves trapped in a snowstorm. They stumble into the abandoned village to take shelter. But their nightmare has only just begun. THEY DISAPPEAR Days later, Jane Rizzoli flies to Wyoming to search for her missing friend. A crashed vehicle has been found with four badly burned bodies still inside. Can one of the corpses be Maura’s? Jane’s hunt for the truth leads her to Kingdom Come. Where the person who was watching Maura now lies waiting for her… Started: 18/06/11 Finished: 23/06/11 Rated: 4.5/5 Comments:Loved it! It's been a while since I read any of Tess's books and this one has not disappointed. A real page turner! This one is part of the Rizolli & Isles series (book 8 I think) and centres mainly around Maura Isles, which makes a nice change as we don't always get to see much of her. It's a real character building book and just reaffirms for me, why I love these two so much.

I've found it quite odd so far but in that intriguing kind of way. I think it's more the concept of the book than the writing style that is odd but I haven't thought about abandoning it, so that's a good thing.

Room Emma Donoghue It’s Jack’s birthday, and he’s excited about turning five. Jack lives with his Ma in Room, which has a locked door and a skylight, and measures 11 feet by 11 feet. He loves watching TV, and the cartoon characters he calls friends, but he knows that nothing he sees on screen is truly real – only him, Ma and the things in Room. Until the day Ma admits that there's a world outside . . . Told in Jack's voice, Room is the story of a mother and son whose love lets them survive the impossible. Unsentimental and sometimes funny, devastating yet uplifting, Room is a novel like no other. Started: 05/06/11 Finished: 13/06/11 Rated: 3/5 Comments: I enjoyed this book but I wouldn't rave about it as I've seen others do. I like the concept and I think it's very well written but I had trouble empathising with either of the main characters. With this lacking I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the emotions of either of them.

So far, I've really enjoyed it. I wouldn't describe it as high brow, he just likes to tell a story, so every now and again he goes off on a bit of a tangent about his childhood. It's still really interesting to read and I find it quite interesting to find out a bit more about him.

Wildthorn Jane Eagland Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labelled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key . . . Started: 22/05/11 Finished: 05/06/11 Rated: 3/5 Comments: This book was quite an oddity for me. I knew it was a YA book before I started it but I didn't expect it to touch upon such a range of topics. Most interestingly was the sexuality of the main character which seemed as such odds for the time period. I enjoyed the fact that she was breaking out and fighting against the role of women in the household and found myself getting quite angry at the injustices that where done in the name of propriety. Overall, a very entertaining story, YA or not.

Dreams from my Father Barack Obama The son of a black African father and a white American mother, Obama was only two years old when his father walked out on the family. Many years later, Obama receives a phone call from Nairobi: his father is dead. This sudden news inspires an emotional odyssey for Obama, determined to learn the truth of his father's life and reconcile his divided inheritance. Written at the age of thirty-three, "Dreams from my Father" is an unforgettable read. It illuminates not only Obama's journey, but also our universal desire to understand our history, and what makes us the people we are. Started: 14/05/11 Finished: 03/06/11 Rated: 3/5 Comments: This was an enjoyable book but did get quite longwinded in places. Obama is a fantastic story teller but sometimes he had a tendancy to go on and on about something he thought was important but I felt wasn't quite as interesting. I'm a huge fan of Obama and it was a lovely insight into his family and upbringing.

Glad to hear that at least one of the Lilywhites has had a successful season Sedge! (At least I can sneakily switch allegiance without being noticed ) Sounds like nail biting stuff for Andy and his team so I wish them all luck. As much as my heart complains at the strain, I do love it when every match means something. When every goal counts. Great football if you ask me. And so, for the first time, for as long as I have supported PNE, I see them relegated to League 1. It's been a long time coming and I fear that we will not be back in the Championship for a while. I would love to come straight back up next season but I honestly don't think it will happen. Football in the lower leagues is always much grittier and far more entertaining anyway

I really liked this one. Hope you do too.

The Family Martina Cole Phillip Murphy is a family man. He worships his old mum; he takes care of his siblings who help run his business empire; he dotes on his two young sons who will one day take over. And then there's his wife and saviour Christine, whom he loves with a vengeance. To Phillip Murphy, family is everything. Christine has always understood this about her husband. But there is another side to Phillip, and it's a side he never wanted his wife to see. Though even if she did, could she do anything but stand by him? Because Phillip has rules, and he expects loyalty from his nearest and dearest. Once you're in the family, you're in it for life. Started: 25/04/11 Finished: 13/05/11 Rated: 4/5 Comments: Brilliant! That's all I can say. I love Martina Cole and this is one of her best books in a while. I was gripped from the start and haven't put it down. The characters are few but very well written and you really find yourself engrossed by what they are doing. If you haven't read any Cole before, then give this one a try. If you're already a fan then you're in for a treat.

Dead as a Doornail (book 5) Charlaine Harris Sookie's got just a month, before the next full moon, to find out who wants her brother dead - and to stop the fiend! Sookie Stackhouse enjoys her life, mostly. She's a great cocktail waitress in a fun bar; she has a love life, albeit a bit complicated, and most people have come to terms with her telepathy. The problem is, Sookie wants a quiet life - but things just seem to happen to her and her friends. Now her brother Jason's eyes are starting to change: he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. She can deal with that, but her normal sisterly concern turns to cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population. She afraid not just because Jason's at risk, but because his new were-brethren suspect Jason may be the shooter. Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks - unless the killer decides to find her first. Started: 14/04/11 Finished: 22/04/11 Rated: 4/5 Comments: This was a great story in the series, and possibly quite enjoyable once again due to the lack of Bill. I found this one to be quite fast paced compared to the previous couple and as the TV series hasn't really got this far, it was nice not to have any pre existing ideas of characters and how the story progresses.

I'm so excited now It's pretty much my favourite already because it has Eric on the cover. It's just a shame you can't see that bit whilst you're reading.

Dead to the World (book 4) Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse is a small-town cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's pretty. She does her job well. She keeps to herself - she has only a few close friends, because not everyone appreciates Sookie's gift: she can read minds. That's not exactly every man's idea of date bait - unless they're undead - vampires and the like can be tough to read. And that's just the kind of guy Sookie's been looking for. Maybe that's why, when she comes across a naked vampire on the way home from work, she doesn't just drive on by. He hasn't got a clue who he is, but Sookie has: Eric looks just as scary and sexy - and dead - as the day she met him. But now he has amnesia, he's sweet, vulnerable, and in need of Sookie's help - because whoever took his memory now wants his life. Sookie's investigation into what's going on leads her straight into a dangerous battle between witches, vampires and werewolves. But there could be even greater danger - to Sookie's heart, because the kinder, gentler Eric is very hard to resist. Started: 07/04/11 Finished: 13/07/11 Rated: 4/5 Comments: Now this is more like it! Bill is but a passing thought and it's all Eric, Eric, Eric!!! Unfortunately the 'real' Eric doesn't make a show until the last few chapters but it's worth the wait and there's some very very descriptive moments Still loving Bubba and poor Jason!

Sounds great! Can't wait to see what you think

Ooooh I can't wait. I'm about halfway through Club Dead so not long to wait now.

Club Dead(Book 3) Charlaine Harris There's only one vampire Sookie Stackhouse is involved with - at least voluntarily - and that's Bill. But recently he's been a little distant - in another state distant. His sinister and sexy boss Eric has an idea where to find him, and next thing Sookie knows she's off to Jackson, Mississippi, to mingle with the underworld at Club Dead. It's a dangerous little haunt where the elusive vampire society can go to chill out and suck down some Type O - but when Sookie finally finds Bill caught in an act of serious betrayal she's not sure whether to save him, or to sharpen some stakes. The Sookie Stackhouse books are delightful Southern Gothic supernatural mysteries, starring Sookie, the telepathic cocktail waitress, and a cast of increasingly colourful characters, including vampires, werewolves and things that really do go bump in the night. Started: 02/04/11 Finished: 06/04/11 Rated: 4/5 Comments: I'm really flying through these books because I love them. They are a completely different style to the tv series but I think that is what I like about them. The characters are developing much more depth and the plot is twisting and turning to keep my interest. Above all, we have Eric!

Broccoli and cheese bakes tonight, I think. I'll add some carrots and potatoes on the side too.

Living Dead In Dallas (Book 2) Charlaine Harris Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse isn't happy. Her co-worker has been murdered and no one seems to care. If that wasn't enough she's got blood-poisoning and a raging fever. Luckily, some friendly vampires graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it). But, seeing as they did save her life, when they come asking for a favour she can hardly refuse. She quickly finds herself using her telepathic skills in the search for a missing vampire, but when they break their good behaviour condition over a tasty blond, things go rapidly and horribly wrong ... Started: 26/03/11 Finished: 31/03/11 Rated: 3/5 Comments: So far so good with this series. They are slightly different from the TV series but very much enjoyable in their own way, although I'm finding it hard to see why she doesn't just run away with Eric. He's such a hottie!!

Hi Charm!! If you're going to read the Caffrey books it's best to do them in order (Birdman, The Treatment, Ritual, Skin, Gone) The only book I would have advised you to avoid is Pig Island but I'm a bit late for that, I could have saved you the disappointment. She's not for the feint hearted but I love reading her books. Making a start on the Sookie books today and I can't wait They should keep me going until I can get my hands on the next Armstrong book.

Dead Until Dark (book 1) Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much - not because she's not pretty - she's a very cute bubbly blonde - or not interested in a social life. She really is . . . but Sookie's got a bit of a disability. She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill: he's tall, he's dark and he's handsome - and Sookie can't 'hear' a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting all her life for. But Bill has a disability of his own: he's fussy about his food, he doesn't like suntans and he's never around during the day . . . Yep, Bill's a vampire. Worse than that, he hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, with a reputation for trouble - of the murderous kind. And then one of Sookie's colleagues at the bar is killed, and it's beginning to look like Sookie might be the next victim . . . Started: 23/03/11 Finished: 26/03/11 Rated: 3/5 Comments:

Gone Mo Hayder Night is falling as murder detective Jack Caffrey arrives to interview the distraught victim of a car-jacking. What he hears horrifies him. The car was taken by force, and on the back seat was a passenger. An eleven-year-old girl. Who is still missing. Before long the jacker starts to communicate with the police. And Caffrey becomes certain that he is planning to take another car. And another child. Who is the car-jacker? How is he choosing his targets? And - most urgent of all - can Caffrey find the child? Before it’s too late … Started: 15/03/11 Finished: 22/03/11 Rated: 4/5 Comments: As soon as I see a new Mo Hayder book I just have to own it. She has only once let me down (Pig Island) so it's always with joy that I start a new book. This one was another part of her Jack Caffrey series, a character which I have grown to love with each book. It starts with a car-jacking, which quickly turns out to be a child abduction. The story moves at quite a fast pace and with each twist and turn I was more and more engrossed. I literally haven't put it down in the last two days as the story came to it's climax. Mo Hayder is not for the feint hearted but if you like your crime thrillers gritty, you'll love her.

That's great news! Very exciting

I think it has to be Jaime Vegas and Hope Adams. I love their stories. Although I don't like Elena, I do have a soft spot for Clay and Jeremy. What about you?